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Mulled Wine is one of the best ways to stay warm this autumn and winter. What is mulled wine? In short it’s warm spice infused wine. According to science, mulled wine dates back to a time where people were cold but still wanted to party. After a couple of glasses of this warm wine someone decided to throw in spices. This is irrefutable history.

Now mulled wine is pretty simple to make, yet some of the essential ingredients are always annoyingly missing from your spice pantry, and if they are not missing chances are you used them the last time you mulled wine back in 2006. Trash them. The Fair Seas Spice Co. has solved this problem by assembling an all inclusive mulled wine spice kit. Our Mulled Wine Spice Kit includes 100% Fairtrade certified cinnamon, cardamom,cloves, nutmeg, and vanilla, along with ethically sourced bay leaves and star anise.

While there are many mulled wine recipes, this one is tried, tested, and pretty awesome.

Pumpkin Spice; nothing says autumn like those two simple words uttered in the same breath. For good reason – for the next few weeks you’ll practically be inhaling the stuff every time you pass by a coffee shop, someone bites into their special seasonal muffin or opens up a bottle of micro-brewed fall beer. The bottom line is we can’t escape it, it’s everywhere. What gets me and our team of one other employee is that most of the pumpkin spice we’ll consume in the coming weeks is a fragrant cocktail of dyes, artificial flavors, and type 2 diabetes causing sugars. So think twice before buying your pumpkin spice either pre-blended, mixed into your coffee, or baked into your 6 dollar 14,000 calorie healthy whole wheat muffin.

Here at the Fair Seas Spice Co, I and the other guy I work with are doing it old-school. We won’t be selling you a convenient little shaker filled with spices blended over 2 years ago. On the contrary, our pumpkin spice requires a little elbow grease because we’ll be selling it whole spices and all. This means you’ll have to go home and grind it for yourself. Our blend it yourself pumpkin spice kit will allow you to really taste the difference between the freshly ground authentic stuff and synthetic alternative. Trust me, it’s worth the effort.

So what goes into our pumpkin spice? First we start with Cassia or Ceylon Cinnamon, Cloves, Dried Ginger, Nutmeg, and Mace. These spices are fall’s quintessential warmth inducing ingredients. When freshly ground and combined together the result is a shift in your mood. Rather than complain about the impending cold you’ll welcome it as a reason to prepare and indulge in your favorite home baked deserts.

Our newest collection, available in 6 convenient sizes, is the perfect gift for even the most ethical consumer out there.

While we source virtually all our spices from small-scale farmers and cooperatives, we are especially proud of our Fairtrade product line. Fairtrade International, a remarkable organization, has done an amazing job in bringing to the forefront the plight of small-scale farmers and producers across the developing world. Often times we forget exactly how our neatly packaged spices, teas, coffees, and clothing (just to name a few examples) found their way onto store shelves. In too many instances, the products we use, consume, and take for granted are the result of some form of exploitation. The Fairtrade stamp is a friendly reminder that as consumers we must always be conscious of purchases we make, and that we always have a choice.

Small-Scale Farmer in India. Picture by Melanie Hadida

Fairtrade International has relentlessly championed the cause of small-scale producers across the globe. Under the legacy which Fairtrade International has established, hardworking producers who would otherwise receive a pittance for their labour or goods are now receiving just and fair market wages. Along with fair wages, Fairtrade International also places a premium on community development. Buying Fairtrade is not a charitable act, rather it is a legitimate investment in a communities inherent potential.

As of mid-September, the Fair Seas Spice Co. will be launching an expanded 100% Fairtrade Certified Spice Collection. All 11 of our Fairtrade certified spices will be now be included. Our newest collection, available in 6 convenient sizes, is the perfect gift for even the most ethical consumer out there.

When we think of going out for dinner or preparing a home cooked meal, rarely does the prospect of Ethiopian food arise. If you’ve never experienced Ethiopian I’ve included a little introductory video.

Now Ethiopians are master culinary tacticians. Their innovative use of spices delivers food with unmatched flavour and complexity. In this short post I’ll focus on a common East African spice blend called Berbere, This amazing spice blend lends Ethiopian food its unique character. The ingredients are simple enough:

I cannot stress this enough: Spice blend recipes are rough guides. You should be able to add or subtract any spice you wish and make it your own. This is an awesome way to develop your palate and discover new flavours.

I’ve also found am insightful blog post which gives a great, albeit slightly different version of the blend.

Baharat is an essential Middle-Eastern spice blend. Being Iraqi, Baharat has played a huge role in my gastronomical upbringing. My mother, who was born in the southern Iraqi city of Basra, has done well to impart her countries rich culinary heritage onto me and the younger generations. Because of my mother, when I think of my “Iraqiness”, my mind conjures up memories of the many dishes she brought to our kitchen table. Among the myriad of mouth-watering offerings stands the iconic T’beet (pronounced ta’beet). Why T’beet? Because Baharat is at the epicentre of this dish’s awesome, sometime emotion provoking flavours. T’beet is as close to my heart as it is to my uncles expanding waistline and double chin.

Now most of you have obviously never heard of or tasted T’beet, a masterpiece of Iraqi cuisine. Hence, I’ll provide for a little crash course.

Is this a vegan or vegetarian friendly dish? No. In fact it’s the exact opposite. Not only is T’beet loaded with meat, it’s loaded with two types of meat. I actually pity the fool who attempts to dissuade my traditional mom from cooking and consuming meat. This is an argument which even PETA and Greenpeace would deem too dangerous to engage in.

In a nutshell, T’beet is chicken and chicken skin stuffed with Baharat spiced minced meat and rice, then slow cooked over night with rice. The tradition of slow cooking the T’beet overnight arises from the fact that this dish is traditionally consumed during our Jewish Sabbath. Now I’m not a religious scholar, nor was my parent’s investment in my Jewish education money well spent, so I apologize if my interpretations of the rules are a little unpolished, but on the Sabbath it is forbidden to use fire. To circumvent this rule, we simply lit our fires (or modern-day ovens) before the start of the Sabbath (sundown) on Friday, and then slowly cooked our T’beet until Saturday afternoon. As soon as the T’beet was removed from the oven, with the same primal instinct as a pride of lions surrounding a fresh kill, my family went to town on this quintessential Iraqi delight.

Like in the animal kingdom, there is a hierarchy of sorts when it came to consuming T’beet’s most choice parts. Let me explain. A bi-product of the long cooking process is the charring of the rice along the inner edges of the heavy pot. This rice, called H’kaka (don’t laugh) is coveted amongst Iraqi’s. Notice the beautiful H’kaka in the picture to your right.

Now my family was a ruled by my grandmother, a true matriarch. She was at the top of the food chain. When it came time claim our share of the H’kaka, we all fought to be the grandchild who would so graciously place the burnt rice on her plate. This was considered a true act of respect. After my grandmother there was the regular pecking order, uncles and aunts were followed by cousins oldest to youngest. Bottom line, no Saturday was ever complete without our T’beet fix.

As for the T’beet recipe, I’ll defer to an expert in the field of Jewish Iraqi cuisine, Rachel Somekh. Rachel has put together a very detailed collection of recipes, along with a great account of Iraqi culinary history. A must visit for anyone interested: recipesbyrachel.com.

What made T’beet a venerable delicacy however was the Baharat spice blend. Baharat, perfectly infused into every bite, is essentially the essence of T’beet. Like with any spice blend there is variation. At its core however, the Jewish Iraqi version of Baharat is composed of:

But there are no limits as to what you may include: Cumin, Fennel, Coriander, Allspice, Ginger, Red Chilli’s, Paprika, Rosebuds, Ext. Each country, region, town village, and family, be it in Iraq, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, ext, have their own unique version of this blend. In fact, the blend will vary from cook to cook. Whatever changes one makes to the blend, it will always be delicious. This blog does an awesome job describing the many variants of the Baharat spice blend. Check it out.

Baharat Spice Blend

Preparing the spice blend is easy. Place all of your non pre-ground spices (whole seeds, cinnamon stick and cloves) in a small frying pan and dry roast over medium-high heat, tossing regularly to prevent scorching, for 3-4 minutes or until very fragrant. Transfer to a spice or coffee grinder and let cool. Then proceed to add whatever pre-ground spices you have to your freshly ground spices. That’s it, you’re done, and you’ve made a Baharat spice blend.

Most people, unfortunately, have experienced vanilla only as vanilla extract. Using the actual vanilla bean in every day cooking and baking may seem almost inaccessible. For one, vanilla beans are extremely expensive, and if your not quite sure how to use them chances are you won’t be willing to dish out 10 dollars for a few measly grams at your local high-end grocer. Fact is, vanilla beans are not so intimidating, and the internet provides us with tons of ideas and recipes. Here is a great video to get you started:

White pepper is also a bit of a kitchen mystery. The vast majority of us have seen white pepper in two forms, pre-ground, and pre-packaged in a pepper-mill, and for that I must apologize. There is no substitute for freshly ground white pepper. As opposed to its black counterpart, white pepper imparts a slightly creamier flavour. Although the peppercorn has heat to it, it works well to enhance existing flavours rather than alter the overall flavour profile of your recipe. When mixed with black pepper it provides a very nice peppery balance with varying degrees of pungency and kick, plus it look really nice in those acrylic pepper mills. We do not sell acrylic made in China pepper mills, we’re all about the made in USA hardwood quality stuff. White pepper is also a key ingredient in the classic French Bechamel Sauce

Green Cardamom

Next on tap we have 35%off Fairtrade certified Green Cardamom. Cardamom is also one of those must have spices. If you’ve ever dabbled in baking, Indian cuisine, Middle Eastern cuisine, Scandinavian cuisine, spiced teas or spiced coffees, and I’m only getting started, Green Cardamom will be your go-to spice. Bottom line, no kitchen is complete without this fragrant little pod. Given the scorching heat hitting the North-east this week I thought this recipe would be apt, Mint and Cardamom Iced tea .

Whole Cloves

Lastly we have 35% off FT certified whole cloves. Also a little known, little used, and very expensive spice, cloves impart an extremely intense aromtaically woody flavour. Like cardamom, this spice is essential in almost every type of regional cuisine. A little goes a long way so you don’t need to go nuts to get fancy, juts hrow a couple of cloves in your rice for some great flavour (remove the cloves before serving). Here is another great iced tea recipe: Iced Chai Tea Latte.

Thought I would share a nice little Masala Chai recipe written up my Mel Hadida. Enjoy.

Masala chai is the most popular and most commonly served drink all over India. It’s thick, sweet, milky, a little spicy and incredibly delicious! Normally, I don’t enjoy milk in my tea, but during the many months I’ve spent in India, I could easily consume up to 10 small cups of chai a day. In fact, at the charity I worked for (www.chingaritrustbhopal.com) it wouldn’t be uncommon for the caretakers there to bring me a fresh cup every 45 minutes! The sweet and spicy combination is sometimes exactly what you need for a cozy and comforting little pick-me-up!

What you’ll need:

Water

Milk

Several black tea bags

A few cardamom pods

A few cloves

A couple cinnamon sticks

A small handful of fennel seeds

Some freshly grated ginger

Lots of sugar or honey

In a saucepan, warm up your liquid over medium heat. Some people enjoy a chai that’s entirely made with milk. I like to use a half milk half water ratio. Toss in your tea bags. As they steep, watch the liquid turn a beautiful brown color. Toss in all of your spices, grate some fresh ginger into the pan and stir continuously. Allow the liquid heat up until it’s come to a simmer. Keep in mind, the longer you simmer, the spicier the tea will be. Add your sugar and honey and stir. Traditional Indian chai is served VERY sweet. Some people might not enjoy this, so use the sugar according to your own taste.

You can strain the tea through a colander, some cheesecloth or by pouring it all into a teapot with a Bodum, or even a cafetière!